2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY... Strong northwest winds will spread across the northeast plains after sunrise today, with gusts 45 to 65 mph creating critical fire weather conditions despite somewhat marginal humidity values near 20%. Early Friday, westerly downslope winds will bring strong gusts to the Front Range mountains and foothills, with potential for these to spread into wind-favored portions of the adjacent lower elevations. Peak gusts of 70-90 mph are increasing in likelihood for the windiest locations (considerably lower for areas along and east of I-25). With a warmer and drier air mass in place, humidity values in the teens look to extend into much of the foothills, and certainly across the lower elevations. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend into the evening hours prior to the arrival of a front. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Friday morning through Friday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 215, 216, 241, 243, 245, 246 and 247. * TIMING...From Friday morning through late Friday evening. * WINDS...West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 80 mph in and near the foothills. West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for areas roughly along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 to 15%. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Rappahannock River
was last observed at
284
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
563
acre-ft of water today; about 9%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
3,306 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2014-05-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at
66,200 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg
reporting a streamflow rate of 175 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Rappahannock River At Remington
with a gauge stage of 2.81 ft.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Rappahannock River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 301 ft, the
Rappahannock River At Remington.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 563 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
284.0 cfs
+8.0 cfs (+2.9%) |
| Percent of Normal | 8.59% |
| Maximum |
66,200.0 cfs
2014-05-01 |
| Seasonal Avg | 3,306 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rappahannock River At Remington
USGS 01664000 |
109 cfs | 2.81 ft | -5.22 | |||||
|
Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg
USGS 01668000 |
175 cfs | 1.97 ft | 8.7 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately 195 miles (314 km) in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west where it rises, across the Piedmont to the Fall Line, and onward through the coastal plain to flow into the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.
An important river in American history, the Rappahannock was long an area of occupation by indigenous peoples. During the colonial era, early settlements in the Virginia Colony were formed along the river. It was at the center of a major theater of battle in the American Civil War, where tens of thousands of troops fought against each other. Some 10,000 African-American slaves escaped across the river to Union lines and freedom, after the first Battle of Fredericksburg. Due to the river's significance as an obstacle to north-south movements, it effectively functioned as the boundary of the eastern theater of the war, between the "North" (the Union) and the "South" (the Confederate States of America).
The river drains an area of 2,848 square miles (7,380 km2), approximately 6% of Virginia. Much of the watershed is rural and forested, but development in it has increased since the late 20th century with the southward expansion of the Washington, D.C. suburbs.
Bixler Bridge On State Route 675 To Karo Landing, Approximately 6 Miles South Of Town Of Front Royal